It seems that Jim Hendry and the Cubs are intent on doing everything within their power to move Milton Bradley this winter. This reminds me of the offseason that Hendry spent trying to trade Sammy Sosa. Eventually, he did, of course, but in the process ignored other Cubs needs.
I don't think that this is so much of a concern this winter because, quite frankly, there isn't a whole lot that Hendry can do. Given all the expensive, long-term contracts that are untradeable, Hendry has basically tied his own hands. Maybe he's a masochist.
Meanwhile, Tom Ricketts told David Kaplan of WGN ...

Filed:October 30th, 2009
Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts
And with one 20 minute press conference this morning, an historic event has come and gone, with the Ricketts family officially announced as the Cubs owners.
The new group, fronted by Tom, with a board led by family members Peter, Todd, and Laura, promised first and foremost a World Series championship, and a legitimate commitment to establishing a perennial contender. In fact, Tom stated that the key to bringing a winner to Chicago was putting a playoff caliber team on the field every year, and his goal was to make sure that this happened.
Further, ...

Filed:October 30th, 2009
Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts
And with one 20 minute press conference this morning, an historic event has come and gone, with the Ricketts family officially announced as the Cubs owners.
The new group, fronted by Tom, with a board led by family members Peter, Todd, and Laura, promised first and foremost a World Series championship, and a legitimate commitment to establishing a perennial contender. In fact, Tom stated that the key to bringing a winner to Chicago was putting a playoff caliber team on the field every year, and his goal was to make sure that this happened.
Further, ...

"It's going to be a big difference between family ownership and corporate ownership. For one thing, as you can tell from talking to us, we all have the same agenda, which may not always be happening inside a corporation. We just want to win. We want to bring a championship back here ." -Tom Ricketts in his first press conference as owner of the Cubs.
Reading this quote made my mind start to wander a bit. What if it’s true? Can family ownership actually take that passion to win, and be accountable to the fans, such that it actually results in what we ...

On Friday morning, the Chicago Cubs introduced their new owners to the media and the world with a press conference from a rainy Wrigley Field. The 35 minutes of questions and answers was informative, humorous, and encouraging for not only Cubs fans, but any baseball fans.
Tom Ricketts, the leader of the Ricketts Family, gave a brief introduction statement in which he outlined three points for Cubs fans under which they will work moving forward:
1. "We're going to win a World Series"
2. They love Wrigley Field, and will do anything to preserve and improve the stadium.
3. They love the city of ...

If you have ever read Baseball Prospectus' Baseball Between the Numbers , or a similarly analytical baseball text, the argument against standard pitching statistics (wins and losses, ERA, and saves) is not new to you. By now, most educated baseball fans understand that all three of those statistics reflect myriad factors far beyond the pitcher's control (and, in fact, relatively few that fall within it).
But while some fans have eagerly accepted the common-sense preaching of sabermetric prophets, others continue to live in hazes of either delusion or obstinacy. This is especially true when it comes to relief pitchers. Though ERA ...

In the Cubs' 133 year old history, the team has been owned by one of the founders of the National League, a sporting goods mogul, a chewing gum company, and a media company. The newest owner to the list, a family of Cubs fans.
On Tuesday, Tom Ricketts officially took control of the Cubs and 25-percent of Comcast Sportsnet. The deal was valued at $845 million.
Family members Todd, Tom, Pete, and Laura will form a board of directors. The Tribune Company will hold a five-percent interest in the team and sit on the board. Tom Ricketts will be the chairman.
"My family ...

First of all, here's a link that will help us establish a proper frame of reference. The sheet attached is from Cot's Baseball Contracts, a valuable source for contract information for baseball players. It breaks down the 2010 financial obligations of the Chicago Cubs.
According to this breakdown, the Cubs are already obligated to $119 million in 2010, a number that's down from the nearly $135 million it reached this past season.
There are a few glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed first and foremost. The biggest area of need for the Cubs is their bullpen. The team stands to lose ...

Reports out of Florida and Chicago are that investors in Naples, FL will propose to owner Tom Ricketts that the Cubs' Spring Training facilities move from Mesa, AZ to Naples as soon as 2013.
The Cubs' existing contract, a 25-year lease in Mesa, expires in 2016, but the Cubs can buy out of the deal after 2012 for a reported $4.2 million.
A move to Naples would put the Cubs in the neighborhood of teams such as the Yankees and Twins, who play their spring ball on Florida's west coast.Read more Chicago Cubs news on BleacherReport.com

ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that, when Tony LaRussa returns to St. Louis to manage the Cardinals in 2010, he'll have a new hitting coach.
Mark McGwire.
That's right, the man once responsible for "saving baseball" with Sammy Sosa, and was later embarassed in front of Congress enough to disappear for a few years, will return to the game.
Which got me to thinking.... what are some things that a fly on the wall might hear in McGwire-led hitters meetings in St. Louis next year?Begin Slideshow